Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late as I had to speak in the House. I understand somebody asked about the property tax. I understand the representatives are in favour of some type of property tax but want an income-related aspect to it. I am strongly opposed to a property tax because it will hit the low and middle income people who are struggling. How do the representatives envisage a fair system working? Obviously much debate is taking place on the issue. The most concrete suggestion from the Minister is that we could be looking at 0.25% of market value which in my constituency, where the average house value would be €200,000, is €500 per year. If that came through, what would the representatives think of it? Clearly, that would be an unbearable burden for large numbers of people and I do not see how anybody who is concerned about protecting people from poverty could justify that. I am interested to hear the response on that issue.

I agree with the emphasis on shifting away from expenditure cuts to taxes. What would be regarded as progressive taxes? For example, do the witnesses think we should start to look at the issue of corporation tax? I certainly do. It is a sacred cow that cannot remain sacred any longer given the deep crisis and the huge burden that has been imposed on people at the low and middle end and their incapacity to take any more hits. Will the people who are concerned about poverty, inequality and so forth begin to demand a debate on the issue of corporate taxes, financial transaction taxes, wealth taxes and so on?

Professor Sean Tierney mentioned an issue we need to debate, that is, the proposal for universal health insurance but one that would be provided through private health insurers in some shape or form. I suspect I do not know half as much about it as the witnesses but I understand that in America, where the emphasis is on that, administration costs account for 40% of health expenditure. That would appear to be a crazy way to go. What alternative would the witnesses propose if they have concerns, as I have, in that area? I certainly believe we should have a national health system and cut out the private insurers, the billing and the profit taking.